Gators TE's: Who will emerge?

A teaser to a piece I wrote on Florida's tight end battle. Click the link for the full feature...

GAINESVILLE -- The competition to replace Jordan Reed, Florida’s leading
receiver in 2012 with 45 catches and three touchdowns, is progressing.

Slowly.

Although Gators coach Will Muschamp expressed his concerns
with the inexperienced group at tight end during the spring, his tune has slightly changed
early in fall camp.

“We’ve improved where we were,” he said. “That’s what you
want to do is take a step forward. We’ve taken some positive steps.”

Reed, a third round draft pick of the Washington Redskins in April's NFL Draft,
left a massive void as quarterback Jeff Driskel’s favorite target the past two
seasons, and the candidates to replace Reed include two former ballyhooed,
yet flawed recruits and a pair of converted defensive linemen.

“Jordan was such a freak of nature and a great athlete,”
redshirt freshman Colin Thompson said. “When it comes to pure athleticism, I
don’t know if we have that in the room now, but when it comes to collective
effort we can produce.”